Antique Geneva Pocket Watch

Find the exact antique geneva pocket watch you’re shopping for in the variety available on 1stDibs. Each design created in this style — which was crafted with great care and often made from gold, 18k gold and 14k gold — can elevate any look. Making the right choice when shopping for an antique geneva pocket watch may mean carefully reviewing examples of this item dating from different eras — you can find an early iteration of this piece from the 19th Century and a newer version made as recently as the 20th Century, both of which have proven very popular over the years. An antique geneva pocket watch from Patek Philippe, E. Howard & Co. and Tiffany & Co. — each of whom created a beautiful version of this treasured accessory — is worth considering. While most can agree that any antique geneva pocket watch from our collection can easily elevate most outfits, but the choice of a diamond version from the 4 available is guaranteed to add a special touch to your ensemble. See these pages for an old european cut iteration of this accessory, while there are also bead cut and rose cut cut versions available here, too. Finding an antique geneva pocket watch for sale for women should be easy, but there are 9 pieces available to browse for unisex as well as men, too.

Prices for an antique geneva pocket watch can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, these accessories begin at $1,738 and can go as high as $58,500, while this accessory, on average, fetches $5,800.

Can you pull off a vintage pocket watch? Of course you can. With a suit and a waistcoat, a pocket watch can be a refreshing alternative to a wristwatch.

The earliest pocket watches were luxury items, and, owing to cost, they weren’t commonplace until the 19th century. Artfully crafted pocket watches were a symbol of wealth, and manufacturers such as Vacheron Constantin and Patek Philippe became known for theirs. (Today, they’re among the most sought after by collectors and enthusiasts.)

At the onset, pocket watches resembled small round table clocks, and pulling your small round table clock — perhaps of the silver variety — out of your breast pocket in front of someone else demonstrated unequivocally that you cared about punctuality. For collectors, pocket watches are big, and that means a larger canvas provided for functions without crowding the dial. For example, the Marius Lecoultre pocket watch — made circa 1890 — does everything but uncork your wine.

In the late 1800s, the open-face pocket watch became a staple on the American railroad. It was a requirement for railway workers to wear a pocket watch, as the timepieces were responsible for keeping conductors on schedule. This was a boon to the watchmaking industry, with companies like Hamilton, the Elgin National Watch Company and the Waltham Watch Company producing high-grade and workingman’s watches.

By the 1930s, wristwatches comprised the bulk of watch manufacturing in America, superseding the pocket watch. Suddenly, if you wanted to know the time, you merely glanced at your wrist. But given their vintage charm and our general appetite for good design, pocket watches are a piece of statement-making jewelry and today can prove complementary to your formal attire in a manner that is stylish and unconventional.

Let time take its course — browse a vast selection of antique and vintage pocket watches available on 1stDibs designed by legendary brands such as IWC, Cartier and more.